Gut-brain axis and our mind

In this video, we explore in more detail the relationship between the microbiome and our mind.

Most studies on the topic actually involve animals, as we already saw in the last activity, but scientists are also conducting interventional and correlational studies in humans.

In this video we will start by discussing some of the studies that analyse the role of the gut microbiota in the response to stress, and we will then move on to exploring the trials that tested microbiota-modifying supplements in humans

Some of the links between microbiota and the brain have only been a topic of scientific discussion in the last ten years. As such, it is much easier to find popular science articles that discuss how a certain food can “fix” our gut and mood, rather than reviews or consensus papers written by scientists.

This is particularly true when discussing the role of gut dysbiosis in psychological and psychiatric illnesses. In the ‘see also’ section we are linking two articles published by the website of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS, also known as the publisher of Science) that discuss the relationship between the microbiome and autism. (Note: the first article is more technical, but both links refer to the same study).

As you will see, the research is still in the very early stages, and it is definitively too early to draw any conclusion.

Given the particular nature of this topic, we remind you to be respectful of your fellow learners when commenting, and to keep in mind that we’re discussing cutting-edge areas of biological research, where the certainties are still scarce.